Game apparatus.



PATBNTED MAR. 14, 1905.

No. '784,709I

D. H. TALBERT. GAME APPARATUS APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 26. 190s.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

wifgesses No. 784,709. PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

D. H. TALBERT. GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

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Patented March 14, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE.

DANIEL H. TALBER'I, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

GAME APPARATUS- SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 784,709, dated March 14, 1905.

Application filed June 26, 1903. Serial No. 163,267.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL H. TALBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana` have invented a new and useful Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to game apparatus, and specifically to that class of game apparatus in which balls are rolled over a suitable surface to knock down objects located at the end of the surface over which the balls travel.

The object of the present invention is to provide in a game apparatus of the above general description improved means for catching and returning the balls after each playto the end of the surface from which they are rolled, to provide means for supporting the objects struck by the balls, to provide an improved form of pivoted paddle for use as an object at which the balls are to be rolled, to provide improved means for restoring the paddles to position for engagement by the balls after having been struck, to provide means for marking or distinguishing the separate objects at which the balls are to be rolled, and to provide an improved device for checking the swing of the paddles occasioned by blows from balls.

In attaining the objects above stated I make use of the construction and combination of parts of a game apparatus hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which corresponding parts are designated by the same characters of reference throughout the various views in which they appear.

-In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an alley of the form shown in my prior patent, No. 714,969, and provided with the devices forming-the subject-matter of this invention. Fig. 2 is a View in vertical longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, through the structures at the end of the alley, the cord and spring' for operating the paddle-setting mechanism being shown on the opposite side of the alley to that upon which they are shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a View in vertical transverse section through the alley near the frame I F and looking toward the frame.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters, F designates generally a frame having rear standards l, front standards 2, bottom reaches 3, inclined top reaches 4, and transverse braces 5 between Vthe rear standards l. The frame F is placed at the end of a suitable playing-surface.

In Figs. l to 4 the frame is shown as placed at the end of an alley (designated generally as A) comprising the usual floor and side guards, which are supported by the front standards 2. so that the tops of the side guards of the alley are substantially at the tops of the front standards of the frame F.

The frame F has supported therein, as best seen in Fig. 2, a bag 6, made of canvas or other suitable fabric, which is open at, the forward end and closed at the rear. The bottom of the bag 6 is inclined upward toward the rear and the sides converge toward the rear, as shown in Fig. 4. The top of the bag is hori- Zontal and extends from the rear to a point near the front of the bag and has hanging downward from the front margin thereof a curtain 7, which is preferably weighted at the lower margin. The bag 6 is so placed that balls passing' along the alley A will strike against the curtain 7 and then against the bottom of the bag. The resistance to the movement of the balls afforded by the curtain retards their movement, and the incline of the bottom of the bag further retards the Inovement of the balls, so that as a rule before a ball reaches the closed rear end of the bag its movement will be entirely stopped. When the motion of the ball toward the rear of the bag ceases, it rolls down along the inclined bottom of the bag to a ball-chute supported between the front standards Q of theframe F and leading back to the end of the alley A at which the players stand.

The objects to be engaged by the balls travcling along the alley are preferably paddles 8, pivotall y supported in vertical position over the end of the alley, as shown in dotted lines in Fig'. 1. The stems or reduced portions of the paddles are downwardly disposed and the broad upper portions are provided. with suit- L00 able marking devices 9 bearing numbers designating' the relative values of the various paddles in the game. The marking devices 9 are preferably of the form shown, consisting of caps of thin metal or other suitable material, one of which covers the top of each paddle and presents on the forward surface of the paddle when in vertical position a sufliciently large area to bear a number which may be visible from the other end of the alley. On the rear surface of each paddle when in vertical position is a horizontal extension from the cap of each marking' device 9, upon which is placed the same number displayed on the front surface of the cap. Nhen a ball strikes one of the paddles and tilts it into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the nurnber of the front surface of each markingl device will be concealed from view; but the nurnber of the extension from the cap will be plainly visible, for the said extension will then bc held in vertical position, as shown.

1n order to support the paddles above the alley in such manner that they will not be inclosed in such a way as to interfere with the aim of the players, I provide a plurality of thin bars, preferably formed of iron, between which the paddles 8 arc supported upon a shaft 11. The bars 10 are fastened to wooden bars 12 in the manner best shown in Fig. 2 by means of transverse bolts 13, which pass through bars 10.and bars 12. The wooden bars 12 are of such width that they space the bars 10 apart su [ficientl y to allow the stems of the paddles 8 to rise between the bars 1() when the paddles are struck by balls rolled along the alley.

In order that the paddles 8 may be held at different heights above the alley to suit the taste of the players and the size of the balls employed, the bars 12 are all supported upon a transverse rod or shaft 14, theends of which are mounted in the oblique side reaches 4 of the frame F, and the bars 12 are adjusted in position by means of bolts 15, extending through the top brace 5 between the rear standards 1 of the frame F and also passing through the bars 12 and a cross-piece 16, rigidly secured thereto. The bolts 15 are provided with set-nuts 15, and by moving the nuts up and down upon the threaded Shanks of the bolts the bars 12 may-be swung upon the shaft 14 sufliciently to raise or lower the paddles 8 to the extent desired.

1n order to keep the paddles 8 in vertical position when so placed and prevent them from being jai-red out of vertical position when not struck, a shaft 17 is mounted in the iron bars 10 just behind the paddles and above the level of the shaft 11, upon which the paddles are pivotally supported, and each paddle is provided with a spring-catch 18, which is adapted to engage the rod or shaft 17 when the paddles are placed in vertical position, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 2.

1n order to cushion the blow of a ball upon a paddle and prevent damage to either the ball or the paddle, each paddle has fixed. upon the stem thereof, which is preferably beveled somewhat on the forward surface, as shown, a buffer-spring 19, made of steel heavy enough to withstand the impact of a ball and covered.

with a sheath 20, of leather or other suitable material, in order to prevent scarring of the balls by contact with the edges of the steel buffer-springs.

To arrest the motion of the paddles when struck by the balls, blocks 21 are hinged to the bars 12 by hinges placed at the rear ends of the blocks 21, and the forward ends of the blocks 21 project beyond the ends of bars 12 far enough to lie in the path of the paddles when they are swung upward by blows from the balls, and having on the under side at the forward ends pads 211L to deaden the sound produced by the paddles striking against the blocks. The blocks 2l are of sufficient weight to stop the upward movement of the paddles, even when the paddles are struck with considerable violence by the balls, and by having the blocks 21 pivoted the shock of stopping' the paddles is greatly diminished.

1t will be noted that the upper portion of each paddle is considerably larger than the lower portion, so that when a paddle is struck by one of the balls and swings upon its pivot it will remain in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 until restored to upright position by means presently to be described. This provision is made in order that after one of the paddles has been struck by a ball it may not return to its original position, and so give rise to doubt as to whether the paddle was actually struck.

The device by means of which the paddles are restored to vertical position after having been struck by balls consists of a plurality of iron loops 22, bolted to a shaft 23, which is journaled in the oblique side reaches 4 of the frame F, together with means for turning said shaft so as to force the-loops downward against the paddles, as indicated in Fig. 1. Each of the loops 28 is preferably provided at the end which engages with one of the paddles with a rubber roller 24 in order to prevent wear and to take up the shock of Contact when a paddle strikes one of the loops. At one end of the shaft 23 is an arm 25, to the free end of which is attached a cord or cable 26, extending to the players end of the alley and forming means whereby the shaft 23 may be turned to force the loops 22 downward and restore the paddles to their vertical position. There is also attached to the arm 25 a spring 27, which serves to hold the loops normally in the position indicated in Fig. 2, where they will contact with the paddles when in horizontal position and cooperate with the blocks 21 to check the upward movement of the paddle-stems after being struck by the balls.

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After each play any paddles which may have been struck by a ball and thrown into horizontal position will be noted and the numbers on the paddles scored to the credit of the player who made the play. Then the cable 26 will be pulled and the shaft 23 will be rocked, forcing' the loops 22 downward and restoring any paddles which may have been thrown into horizontal position to their original vertical position preparatory to the next play.

It will be observed that with the paddles, the ball-receiving bag, the paddle-stopping devices, and buffer-springs above described violent shocks from contact of the balls with the paddles and'from contact of the balls with the ball-stopping devices at the end of the alley are. reduced to a minimum and the noise incident to the game rendered so slight as to be unobjectionable. It will also be noted that by providing an automatic ball-return of the form shown and means whereby all of the paddles struck by the balls at a shot may be restored to their normal vertical position' by a player the need of an attendant is obviated and the rapidity with which the same may be played is materially increased.

Having thus described the construction and operation of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. The combination in agame apparatus, of an alley, a frame at the end of said alley, a plurality of arms mounted on'said frame and extending forward over the alley, means for adjusting the height of said arms above the alley, and a plurality -of members pivotally supported by said arms and adapted to hang over said alley in the path of balls traveling along the alley.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination of an alley, a frame at the end of said alley, aplurality of bars pivotally mounted in said frame, means for adjusting the position of said bars, and a plurality of mem bers pivotall y mounted at the ends of said bars and adapted to be suspended above said alley in position to be struck by balls passing along said alley.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination of an alley, a frame at the end of said alley, a plurality of bars pivotall y mounted in said frame to extend longitudinally of the alley and spaced apart, a plurality of members pivotally supported between said bars and adapted to be held in vertical position above said alley to be engaged by balls traveling along the alley.

4. ln a game apparatus, the combination with an alley, of a plurality of members pivotally supported above said alley, a rod horizontally arranged adjacent to said members,

and a plurality of spring-catches provided on said members and adapted to engage said rod to hold said members yieldably in position to be struck by balls traveling along the alley. 5. In a game apparatus, the combination with an alley, of a plurality of members pivotally supported above said alley and adapted to be held in position to be struck by balls traveling along said alley, each of said members having a leaf-spring of metal attached at its upper end only on the surface lying in the path of the balls.

6. ln a game apparatus, the combination with an alley, of a plurality of members pivotally suspended above said alley and having the front surface thereof at the lower end beveled, and each having a buffer-spring of steel secured above the beveled surface and extending downward in front of thebeveled surface.

7. In a game apparatus, the combination with an alley, of a plurality of members pivotally suspended above said alley and having at the lower end thereof on the front surface a buffer consisting of a steel leaf-spring having a facing of tough protective material.

8. In a game apparatus, the combination with an alley, of a plurality of members pivotally supported above the alley, and means for setting said members in vertical position,

`said means comprising a pivoted loop mounted behind each of said members and means for rocking said loops to bring them into engagement with said members.

9. In a game apparatus, the combination with an alley, of a plurality of members pivotally supported above the alley, and means for setting said members in vertical position, said means comprising a rock-shaft normally in inoperative position, a plurality of loops on said rock-shaft to engage said members, and means for rocking said shaft to bring' the loops thereon into engagement with said pivoted members.

10. In a game apparatus, the combination with an alley, of a plurality of members pivotally mounted above said alley, and means for setting said members in vertical position, said means comprising a plurality of loops pivotally supported behind said members and each provided with a roller adapted to contact with one of said members, and means for swinging said loops into engagement with said pivoted members.

ln testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own l have hereto aliixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DANlEL H. TALBERT.

lVitnesses:

CHAs. MUELLER, FRANK R. BAUs.

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